Have you ever wanted to froth milk for a delicious cappuccino or latte? Maybe you’ve been intimidated to try it before and had no idea where to begin.

If so, no worries! It’s actually a very simple process that you can easily master in minutes.

The great thing about making your own coffee is that you can control how it tastes. So, if you are looking to make some frothy milk, then read on!

How to froth milk without a frother?

There are several ways to froth milk without a frother. You can use your French press, blender, a jar, handheld mixer, or even a whisk to froth milk at home. These techniques make for excellent frothed milk.

Below, I’ll talk about each technique and guide you through them step by step. After reading this article, you can make amazing frothed milk that you can use in so many recipes; it’s incredible.

What does frothed milk do?

Frothed milk adds a creamy texture and provides a non-bitter taste to your coffee. The foam also creates an additional layer when added to your favorite coffee.

Milk foam is created by mixing air into hot milk at a certain speed. This process gives it that creamy texture.

You can follow one of the techniques listed below to froth milk at home, using simple methods that don’t require a lot of time. You’ll be drinking an amazing cup of joe in no time.

Which milk is best for frothing?

Whole milk is the best milk to froth for coffee. It creates creamy, foamy milk that is perfect for all coffees. Lower-fat milk takes a bit longer to froth but creates more tiny milk foam perfect for a cappuccino.

In almost all cases, when brewing coffee at home, I would recommend using whole milk. As whole milk is super easy to foam, it will create a better foamy texture using any of the above-listed techniques.

However, if you don’t have whole milk at home, you can use the milk you have at hand to make some amazing milk froth for Your Dream Coffee!

1. How to froth milk with a blender

Frothing milk can be quite a process, but you can make frothed milk within minutes when using a blender. You’ll need the following ingredients and equipment to get started:

  • Whole milk (amount of preference)
  • Blender of choice

I recommend measuring the milk using a kitchen scale, so you’re not left with excess frothed milk. To froth milk using a blender, have a look below:

  1. Pour the amount of milk you need into a small saucepan.
  2. Place the saucepan on the stove on medium heat.
  3. Now, scald your milk; this usually takes 2-3 minutes.
  4. After your milk is scalded, slowly pour the milk into your blender cup.
  5. Place the blender cup onto the machine.
  6. Now it’s time to froth the milk. Gradually increase the speed of the blender until at full speed.
  7. Leave the milk to froth in the blender until nicely frothed. It took two minutes to froth the milk in my blender.
  8. Once frothed, pour the milk on top of your freshly brewed coffee, or use it as the basis for a great latte!
Frothing milk with a blender.

Don’t forget to clean your blender cup after you’ve poured the milk from it. I found that it’s best to rinse it after use so the milk doesn’t stick to the sides.

This technique is one of the more easy ways to froth milk at home. Below, I’ll tell you all about frothing milk using a jar of choice.

2. How to froth milk using a jar

The following technique is perfect if you don’t want to clean up your blender cup. It’s frothing milk using a jar of choice.

For this technique, you can use any resealable jar of choice. I’m using a small pot with a cap that is perfect for one serving of frothed milk. If you’re planning on making more milk at once, it’s best to use a mason jar.

A mason jar has a bigger volume, so you can make more frothed milk at once. To get started, you’ll need the following items:

  • Jar of choice with a lid or cap
  • Whole milk

Now, let me guide you through the process of making it:

  1. The first step to making frothed milk with a jar is scalding the milk.
  2. Pour the amount of milk of choice in a small saucepan and scald it.
  3. Then, add this to the jar of choice.
  4. Twist the cap to the jar.
  5. Grab a kitchen towel, so you can easily grab the jar and won’t burn your fingers while doing so.
  6. Now, start shaking the jar vigorously until a ton of foam starts to form inside the jar.
  7. Once you’ve shaken for about 30 seconds, remove the cap from the jar, and you can use your freshly frothed milk!
Frothing milk with a jar of choice.

Using a jar to froth milk is one of the easiest ways to make better coffee at home. It’s also effortless to clean up after; you can simply place the jar in your dishwasher or clean it with a little soap and running water.

Tip: You can use the frothed milk to make a Café au Lait. It uses equal parts brewed coffee and frothed milk!

3. How to froth milk with a handheld mixer

The next way to froth milk at home is using a handheld mixer. This is the perfect technique to froth your milk fast, but you don’t want to clean a blender cup. You’ll need the following items:

  • Whole milk (amount of choice)
  • A handheld mixer
  • A heatproof bowl to place the milk in (size depends on the amount of milk you’re frothing)

It’s best to use a bowl that is a bit bigger than the amount of milk you’re going to froth.

As frothed milk will expand slightly, the bigger bowl will prevent the milk from pouring over the side. To froth milk using a handheld mixer, you can follow the following steps:

  1. Start by scalding your milk so it has the best temperature possible.
  2. After the milk has been heated, transfer it to your heatproof bowl.
  3. Place the handheld mixer on the surface of the milk.
  4. Put the mixer on the lowest setting and start frothing the milk.
  5. Slowly increase the speed over time to create the most amount of air.
  6. By keeping the mixer at the surface of the milk, you will add more air to your milk faster.
  7. This took me no more than three minutes to finish.
  8. After your milk has frothed up nicely, remove the handheld mixer and give it a good cleaning.
Frothing milk with a handheld mixer.

You can now use your frothed milk to make various coffee recipes. If you love espresso coffee and love the addition of milk to your coffee, then you should check out this Americano Misto recipe.

4. How to froth milk in a milk frother

The easiest technique on this list of ways to froth your milk is the milk frother. You’ll need the following items to get started:

  • Standalone milk frother or one that is attached to your machine
  • Amount of whole milk of choice

You can use any milk frother you have at home. I’m using the Nespresso milk frother that is attached to my Nespresso machine.

It’s really easy to use, and I can highly recommend it. Follow the next steps to get started with this technique:

  1. Grab the whole milk from your refrigerator.
  2. Pour the amount you need into the milk frother.
  3. Add the lid to the frother.
  4. Press the button once to start the machine.
  5. It takes roughly 30 seconds to a minute for the frother to finish.
  6. After the machine is finished, you can use the frothed milk for any coffee drink that you like!
Frothing milk with milk frother.

Tip: For better milk froth, don’t go over the recommended fill line of your frother. This will result in less froth and leave you with slightly heated milk at the bottom.

5. How to froth milk in a French press

Next up on the list and most versatile of all ways to froth your milk at home is using your French press.

The great thing about a French press is that you can brew amazing coffee with it and froth milk in no time. You’ll need the following items to get started:

  • Whole milk (the amount you need)
  • A French press

If you’re making one cup of coffee, I suggest using a smaller French press version like a 3-cups version. This will give you better results, and it’s done faster because of the smaller size. Let’s get started:

  1. Scald the amount of milk you’re going to need for your coffee.
  2. Gently pour it into your French press beaker.
  3. Place the plunger on top of the beaker, ensuring that the closed cap is twisted on the right way.
  4. Now, plunge up and down for about 20-30 seconds until your milk is frothed.
  5. Make sure that you hold the lid of your French press so it doesn’t slip on your kitchen counter.
  6. Remove the plunger from the beaker and pour the frothed milk into your desired cup.
Frothing milk with a French press.

I suggest at least rinsing — if not cleaning — the French press right away; this ensures that the milk doesn’t stick between the filter.

Tip: Check out this article on 4 easy ways to clean a French press if you want a brand new-looking French press after cleaning.

6. How to froth milk with a whisk

The last technique on this list is using a whisk to froth your milk manually. You’ll need the following items:

  • A whisk
  • Whole milk (desired amount)

This is an effortless technique you can use when you don’t have a lot of time and want to get your morning coffee in. Let’s get started:

  1. Pour the whole milk into a small saucepan and place it on the stove on medium/high heat.
  2. Let the milk scald, but keep stirring gently throughout this process to prevent burning the milk.
  3. Once scalded, remove the milk from the heat.
  4. Now, vigorously start whisking through the milk with a side-to-side motion until your milk is fully frothed.
  5. You can also make circular motions, but the side-to-side technique gives you better and faster-frothed milk.
  6. Once fully frothed, pour the milk into a glass of choice and start enjoying that cup of coffee!
Frothing milk with a whisk in a bowl.

How long does it take to froth milk with a whisk?

It takes two minutes to froth milk using a whisk. Once your milk is scalded, you can easily froth your milk with a whisk and have a cup of coffee within minutes.

When making a larger amount of coffee, you might need a bit more milk. If so, the time mentioned above may take a bit longer.

Why is my milk not frothing?

Your milk might not be frothing because of various reasons. Have a look below for the things to look out for:

  • Your milk might not froth because it’s not heated correctly. Make sure that your milk is scalded. You can check out the article I wrote on how to scald milk if you want to learn how.
  • You’re using lower-fat milk instead of whole milk. Lower-fat milk takes a bit longer to froth because it has less fat.
  • When using a dairy-free alternative, you might have a bit of trouble frothing it. Dairy-free alternatives don’t froth very well, and you’ll be left with a slightly foamed milk that doesn’t hold its structure very well. This is all right because it will still taste awesome in any coffee!

These tips and tricks should help you make amazing frothed milk at home!

Conclusion

There you have it, six ways to froth milk at home. I’m sure you can find at least one technique on this list that you can use yourself.

Making frothed milk is the perfect way to make better coffee at home. Frothed and foamed milk are used so often that it has become a must-know if you want to make amazing coffees at home!

If you’re interested in trying out a few coffee recipes that use frothed milk so you can put one of these techniques to the test, then have a look below.

Which technique do you like to use? Let me know by leaving a comment down below. If you have any other questions regarding coffee, you can also contact me directly by pressing the “Contact Me” button at the top!

Coffee recipes to try

Picture of Jeffrey, Author at Your Dream Coffee
Author

On my coffee blog you will find everything you need in order to start brewing coffee at home. Ranging from the basics; to the newest coffee recipes everybody talks about! You can learn more about me here.

Pin It